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This article was published in 1957
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INSTITUTE OF INSPECTORS OF STOCK OF N.S.W. YEAR BOOK.
Comparative Observations On Some Diseases Common to Turkeys and Fowls in New South Wales
B. SINKOVIC, Dr. Med. Vet., Veterinary Research Station, Glenfield
There are many diseases which are common to turkeys and fowls. A majority of them manifest themselves nearly identically in both species and the diagnostician, if familiar with the disease of fowls, will not find it difficult to give the right diagnosis in turkeys, or vice versa. However, significant differences exist in several diseases; either regarding the symptoms and post-mortem findings, or the incidence, or the age at which the disease makes its appearance. Some of them may affect only one of the two species.
This paper is intended to point out these differences and to be of some help to the field diagnostician.
Navel Infection, which is one of the major problems in chickens in the first week of age, is of very little significance in poults.
While
Pullorum Disease
is fairly common in chickens andParatyphoid Infections
hardly cause any trouble, the opposite is the case in poults. S. typhi-murium infections may be among the major problems in poults in the first four weeks of age. In the majority of outbreaks investigated in recent years, the history has suggested that the eggs were infected during storage, most likely from rat's excreta, and not through the breeding hens. Paratyphoid infections of adult fowls and turkeys are uncommon; as is Pullorum in turkeys. It should be stressed that the rapid whole blood agglutination test for Pullorum, which has been practised by most chicken and poult hatcheries, is in turkeys only 50 per cent. as efficient as the tube test; while there is close correlation between the two tests in fowls.The two fungal diseases, Moniliasis and Aspergillosis, affect chickens and poults usually from one week of age and onwards, although it is most uncommon to see these diseases in either of the two species when they are over ten weeks old. In young pullets only we occasionally have observed Moniliasis characterised by thickening of the proventricular wall and ulceration of the glands. The incidence of both diseases appears to be greater in turkeys than in fowls.
Although fowls are resistant to Hexamitiasis they may harbour the organism, and it is suspected that they may serve as a potential source of infection for turkeys; which can suffer heavy losses, mostly between one and 10 weeks of age.
Caecal Coccidiosis, one of the most common diseases in chickens betweep one and eight weeks of age and characterised by haemorrhagic, caseous or catarrhal typhlitis, seldom occurs in turkeys. We have observed, though, a heavy mortality in poults five days old, where caseous typhlitis was the only post-mortem finding and where numerous oocysts were seen in caecal smears. Depending upon the species of Eimeria involved, Intestinal Coccidiosis of fowls may attack disferent parts of the small intestines; giving rise to lesions of catarrhal, haemorrhagic or ulcerative enteritis, mostly in birds over 10 weeks of age. In turkeys, losses due to Intestinal Coccidiosis usually occur only in poults three to 10 weeks old. Excess mucus and whitish-grey or greenish caseous casts are seen sometimes in the jejunum, but mostly in the lower ileum and rectum. The incidence of Coccidiosis is lower in turkeys than in fowls.
Infectious Enterohepatitis (Blackhead) is one of the most common diseases in turkeys over four weeks of age. In addition to cheesy and ulcerative typhlitis, liver lesions are always present in turkeys. The liver lesions consist of circular yellow or yellow-greenish necrotic areas slightly depressed below the liver surface and showing concentric rings. In chickens, mostly between six and 12 weeks of age, and not uncommonly following fowl pox vaccination, Blackhead is characterised by haemorrhagic (as in Caecal Coccidiosis), or caseous, ulcerative typhlitis. In many cases the liver lesions are not characteristic, or are even absent. Occasionally we have observed outbreaks in young laying pullets; with sudden death, enlarged liver and sometimes also spleen, and caseous-ulcerative typhlitis. Turkeys are much more susceptible to Blackhead than are fowls.
Recent advances in the aetiology of Coryza and Mucoid Tracheitis (chronic respiratory disease) of fowls and Infectious Sinusitis of turkeys have shown that pleuro-pneumonia-like organisms (PPLO) may be the common cause of all three conditions. Haemophilus gallinarum infection, which is disputed by some workers as the cause of a type of coryza in fowls, does not affect turkeys. Although fairiy close similarity exists between Infectious Sinusitis in turkeys and Coryza and CRD in fowls, involvement of the lower respiratory tract in turkeys is not as common as in fowls.
The incidence of Avian Monocytosis appears to be much higher in fowls than in turkeys, and while chickens as young as seven days have been found to be affected with this disease the youngest poults seen were four weeks old. Some outbreaks in poults were characterised by anasarca, hydrothorax and ascites; lesions usually not observed in fowls. Molasses treatment has been found satisfactory in the majority of outbreaks in fowls and antibiotics appear only to be of value in turkeys.
The diphtheritic form of Fowl Pox is more common in turkeys; especially among breeders. There is no systemic reaction following Fowl Pox vaccination in turkeys, and the immunity acquired is not so lasting as in fowls.
Although Spirochaetosis can cause mortality in turkeys and fowls, turkeys are more resistant to the infection.
Originally it was thought that Leucosis affects only fowls, but recently a few cases of Visceral Lymphomatosis in turkeys have been recorded overseas. Other forms of this disease appear to be peculiar to fowls.
Among dietary diseases, riboflavin and vitamin E deficencies manifest themselves differently in fowls and turkeys. Curled-toes paralysis in chickens and dermatitis in poults are found in riboflavin deficiency. Vitamin E deficiency causes Nutritional Encephalomalacia (Crazy Chick Disease) in chickens and hock disorders in poults. Perosis is more common in turkeys than in fowls.
Infectious Laryngo-tracheitis and Avian Encephalomyelitis do not affect turkeys and Erysipelas has so far been found only in turkeys in Australia.